Guide to Barcelona

Guide Contents

CONCERTS: GRAN TEATRE DEL LICEU
La Rambla 51-59, Barcelona (00 34 93 485 9900; www.liceubarcelona.com). One of Spain's most
highly regarded opera houses (the other being Madrid's Teatro
Real), the Liceu has been destroyed by fire twice since it was
built in 1847 - the last time in 1994, after which its reigning
diva Montserrat Caballe was filmed sobbing among the ruins. Rebuilt
with no expense spared, the Liceu is a chocolate-box opera house
for the 21st century.

CONCERTS: PALAU DE LA MUSICA CATALANA
Carrer Sant Pere Més Alt s/n, Barcelona (00 34 902 442882; www.palaumusica.org). The magnificence of this
concert hall, designed in 1905 by Lluis Domènech i Muntaner, has to
be seen to be believed. Musicians love it for its clean, clear
acoustics and its curious quality of intimacy, extraordinary given
its size. Architecture fans love it for its seamless fusion of
diverse styles and building techniques. And the rest of us? For the
beauty of its stained glass and mosaics, and its wealth of
sculptural detail, including the Valkyrie figures that seem to ride
above the stage.

EAT: PA AMB TOMAQUET
As pastrami on rye is to New York, and fish-and-chips to London,
pa amb tomàquet is to Barcelona: a cheap, fast, thoroughly
authentic dish that lies close to the city's culinary heart.
Essentially, it is bread rubbed with tomato, drizzled with olive
oil and sprinkled with salt, and in many Barcelona restaurants it
is brought to the table in place of bread. Best places for a pa
amb tomàquet feast: Pinotxo (Mercat de la Boqueria, puesto
66-67, Barcelona; see
Where to Eat); Casa Leopoldo (Carrer Sant Rafael 24, Barcelona
(www.casaleopoldo.com - see
Where to Eat); Taverna Can Margarit (Carrer Concòrdia 21,
Barcelona).

EAT: MUSEUM CAFES
Barcelona makes a speciality of its secret squares, with cafes
where the cognoscenti retreat for a quiet drink, far from traffic
and tourists. Some of the best are in museums: the Tèxtil Café in
the patio of the Museu Tèxtil (Carrer Montcada 12, Barcelona) is a
useful refuge from the heaving Picasso throng across the way, and
the café at the Museu Frederic Marès (Plaça Sant lu 5-6,
Barcelona), hard by the cathedral, is framed by a miniature square
with orange trees and a fountain. The outdoor café at the Museu
Maritím (Avinguda de les Drassanes s/n, Barcelona) is planted with
shady trees and is a delicious place for a halt on a hot
day.

FOOTBALL: CAMP NOU STADIUM
Avinguda d'Arístides Maillol s/n, Barcelona (www.fcbarcelona.com). The religion of football
in this city has as its own Pantheon the Futbol Club Barcelona and
its cathedral is the Camp Nou football ground. With a capacity of
98,787, this is a mightily impressive stadium, and if the chemistry
is right (a Barcelona-Real Madrid match is always a winner) there
is nothing to beat its supercharged atmosphere. Daily guided tours
offer the chance to explore the club's museum, to inspect the
dressing rooms, and even to tread the sacred turf where Henri,
Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Deco have strutted their stuff.

VIEWS: CABLE-CAR RIDE
It might mark you out as a tourist, but so what? There's no better
way to catch a thrilling view of the city, harbour, sea or
mountains. The teleférico departs from the Eiffel-esque
tower of San Sebastià in the old port, swinging its way high across
the harbour before eventually landing on the heights of Miramar.
There are also fine cable-car rides from the Avinguda Parallel up
to the Parc de Montjuïc, and from there to the recently restored
Montjuïc Castle.

WALKS: BARCELONETA
With gentrification engulfing Gràcia, the Born and the Raval, only
one of the city centre's working-class neighbourhoods remains as
such: Barceloneta, the old fishing quarter. It still smells of salt
and fried fish, but change is in the air. Witness the new,
post-industrial market building on Plaça de la Font, home to the
Michelin-starred restaurant Lluçanès (00 34 93 224 2525; www.restaurantllucanes.com).

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There's an interesting walk around the Roman remains in Barcelona: Roman walls, aqueduct, newly discovered villa with excellent mosaics, Via Sepulchralis, the Temple of Augustus and remains of streets in the Museum under the Plaça del Rei.
you can download a free photoguide and description of the route here:http://goo.gl/GB3U

Carles Pau06 Oct 2010

My favourite out of this list is definitely Quimet Quimet. It is without doubt the most exciting place to eat in Barcelona.
I also had another great experience at a cooking class I took called 'Papa Serra – Culinary Adventures in Barcelona'. It was during this class that I learnt how to make what was quite possibly the best tapa i tried in Barcelona. It was chicken poached in wine and lemon then mixed with saffron yogurt, black grapes and toasted almonds. Then it was wrapped in a radicchio and lightly braised in the poaching liquid. Then we dipped it in a spice mix of fennel seeds, bee pollen and lemon zest. It was so delicious and a highlight of our holiday!

Josh07 Jul 2012

I was in Barcelona a week ago, I went to the Parc Güell and then I went to Bimbas. It was really cool, nice hamburguers, live music and excellent service. If I go to Barcelona go to this restaurant for sure!

Cristopher29 Apr 2013

Its a good article especially for people visiting Barcelona for the first time. But it does not help people to get an idea about how much they could end up paying in these places. In a new place that helps a lot in managing money, and spending as per one's individual budget.

Medha Mishra20 May 2013

Interestings tips about Barcelona, in addition I will like to add two places that I loved, one of them is "Bosc de les fades" a really cool place, and Gran Café restaurant!

Evan13 Jun 2013

Hotel Omm is a really good hotel in Barcelona, I loved staying there for a week, in addition I would like to recommend a nice restaurant placed in Passeig de Gracia, I'm talking about Tenorio restaurant, one of the best in my opinión.

Rick08 Jul 2013

Hi! I was in "The B Hotel" and it's amazing! I recommend you to go to La Tramoia restaurant, if you like meat this is your place!

Rick19 Aug 2013

In my opinion one of the best burger restaurants in the city is Nello's Bar

Laurent01 Dec 2013

I did 2 things I would definitively recommend you in Barcelona: a restaurant called Café de l'Academia, a really nice restaurant (even romantic) with a beautiful terrace and most important really good Catalonian food. nice service too. And a hot-air balloon ride close to Barcelona with a company called Ballooning: they picked us up in the centre of Barcelona and took us for an amazing ride closed to the Montseny, a mountain in the north of Barcelona: an amazing experience with a professional and funny team. we had a great time up there...

Nick17 Dec 2013

El Bulli has sadly now closed (July 30 2011). It was indeed once in a lifetime trip!

Eat,Drink, Lunn26 Jun 2014

I would recommend for the people who visit Barcelona a place called "Reserva Ibérica"it is a place where, in my opinion, you can buy the best iberic ham in Barcelona. This is a typical food that if you go to Barcelona you have to try it, and this place is the best one to do it. Is a small place, but very beautiful and the staff are lovely. In Reserva Iberica you have the best brands of ham and also you can eat it there! I went with my wife and we ate an awesome breakfast.